# NTSB ANC95LA042: Cessna 172N, N733RW, Anchorage, AK, March 20, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 20, 1995, 13:36 local (17:36 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.219535, -149.850952 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.2195&lon=-149.8510&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2639 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC95LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2639/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC95LA042 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT FOR TORQUE/P FACTOR. THE PRESENCE OF SNOWBERMS THAT NARROWED THE WIDTH OF THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - torque/p-factor - not corrected, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - aborted - terrain condition - snowbank (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - narrow (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS TO A RUNWAY THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN CLEARED OF SNOW. THE SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS CREATED 3 TO 4 FOOT HIGH SNOWBERMS ALONG THE RUNWAY EDGES THAT REDUCED THE RUNWAY WIDTH ABOUT 25 PERCENT. FOLLOWING A LANDING, THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO TAKEOFF AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT ADDED RIGHT RUDDER INPUT; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR BEGAN CONTACTING THE SNOWBERM ALONG THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE PIVOTED TO THE LEFT INTO THE SNOWBERM AND NOSED DOWN. THE PILOT HAD ACCRUED 51 HOURS OF TOTAL TIME WITH 15 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT MAKE AND MODEL. ## Factual narrative On March 20, 1995, at 1336 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172N, N733RW, collided with terrain at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area instructional flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by Far North Aviation, Anchorage, received substantial damage. The pilot, holder of a student pilot certificate and the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Merrill Field about 1200. The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 33 and was planning to perform touch and go landings. After touchdown, the pilot added engine power and the airplane began to drift to the left. He added right rudder input; however, the airplane continued to drift to the left. The airplane's left main landing gear contacted a 3 to 4 foot high snow berm located along the left edge of the runway, about 10 feet inside the runway lights. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff and cut the engine power and attempted to stop. The airplane pivoted to the left into the snowberm and nosed down. The pilot reported that his total aeronautical experience consisted of 51.5 hours of flight time. He had accrued 14.6 hours in the accident aircraft make and model. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector of the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), inspected the airplane on March 30, 1995. He reported that wing repairs included replacement of wing ribs and splicing of the wing spar. The FAA reported that the runway had patchy areas of snow and ice with several bare spots. Recent snow removal operations had created the snowberms, reducing the runway width about 25 percent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N733RW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N733RW), registered now, S/N 17268499, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268499 - Airframe hours: 6122 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Teddy B. Jensen, doing business as Far North Aviation - Registered owner: Jane Meda Osborne - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 6, 1995, 51 hours before - Departed: MRI - Airport: MRI, Merrill Field, runway 33, 2,640 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 52 total, 15 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 8 knots - Visibility: 80 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MRI ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950320008169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950320008169A), Mar 20, 1995: Cessna 172N, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. Drifted on landing. Began go around but aborted prior to striking snowbank on edge of runway. Broke wing spar. ## Other investigations on N733RW (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA81DLA24](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA81DLA24), May 14, 1981: Cessna 172N (N733RW), Bunnell, FL, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.